Pyrophoric lighters



Sept. 5, 1955 H, FAULKNER 2,716,880

PYROPHORIC LIGHTERS Filed March 30, 1954 Inv @l2/inn Z Tau, in/ef United States Patent O PYROPHORIC LIGHTERS Harry Faulkner, Rochdale, England Application March 30, 1954, Serial No. 419,869

3 Claims. (Cl. S7-7.1)

This invention relates to pyrophoric lighters as used by smokers and others, having a wick in contact with absorbent material containing fuel, and a receptacle for liquid fuel.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement giving a visual indication of the level of fuel in the receptacle and enabling fuel to be supplied to the absorbent material in a convenient manner.

According to the invention, the lighter casing has a partition dividing it into two compartments, one of which contains the liquid fuel while the other is open at the top so that a casing containing the absorbent material and carrying the lighter mechanism can be inserted in it, the partition having an opening which is normally closed by a plug carried by the inserted casing but allows fuel to flow to the absorbent material when the inserted casing is removed and inserted the other way round, at least a part of the fuel container being transparent.

The lighter casing may be entirely of transparent material, or it may have a transparent window for example in the bottom of the fuel container. It may be of oval or oblong section and the partition forming the top c-f the fuel container may have an opening towards one end with an upstanding rim round it. The inserted casing, which is packed with absorbent material and is open at the bottom, has a part carrying a plug which normally registers with the said opening and closes it when the casing is fully inserted. If the casing is withdrawn and reinserted the other way round, the plug no longer closes .the opening and on the lighter being inverted, fuel can run through the opening to the absorbent material.

The fuel container may be refilled through the opening in the partition, or through a separate opening with screw plug. As at least a part of the container is transparent, it is possible to see how much fuel it contains.

The inserted casing may be of metal. It is closed at Hee the top by a plate carrying the lighter mechanism and a bushing through which the wick passes.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which shows a lighter according to the invention by way of example, the lighter has a casing a which is open at the top and has a transverse partition b in which there is an opening c. The space below the partition b is intended to be iilled with liquid fuel. The lighter mechanism is mounted on a plate d forming the top of a casing e which is open at the bottom and is packed with absorbent material in which the wick is embedded. There is a plug f carried by the casing e which projects below the absorbent material.

The casing e lits into the top of the casing a, and the plug f then closes the opening c. When it is desired to transfer fuel from the space below the partition b, the casing e is withdrawn, reversed and inserted again. The whole device is then inverted and fuel can flow through the opening c to the absorbent material. There is a recess g in the partition b to accommodate the plug f when the casing e is reversed.

At least a part of the fuel container is made transparent so that the fuel in it can be seen.

What I claim is:

l. A pyrophoric lighter, comprising a casing, open at the top, a transverse partition in the casing dividing it into a lower compartment serving as a receptacle for liquid fuel and an open upper compartment, the partition having one opening offset from its centre through which the upper and lower compartments communicate with one another, a plate, lighter mechanism mounted on the plate, a skirt depending from the plate and adapted to fit into the said upper compartment, absorbent material contained within the skirt, a plug depending from the plate and adapted to close the opening in the transverse partition when the skirt is inserted in the upper compartment in its normal position, and to leave said opening unobstructed when the skirt is removed, turned through and` then replaced in the upper compartment, so as to allow fuel contained in the lower compartment to flow through the opening when the lighter is inverted.

2. A lighter as claimed in claim l, in which at least a part of the casing is transparent.

3. A lighter as claimed in claim l, in which the sides of the casing are opaque and its bottom is transparent.

Aronson June 5, 1934 Geiger Dec. 21, 1948 

